


Unter deiner haut (A.K.A Spiel mit Mir part II)

by fraufi666



Series: Spiel mit Mir [2]
Category: 2P Hetalia - Fandom, Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Brother/Brother Incest, Doppelcest, Doppelganger, Human Names, M/M, Male Slash, Multi, Romance, Sibling Incest, Suspense, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-23
Updated: 2014-06-23
Packaged: 2018-02-05 21:10:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1832416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fraufi666/pseuds/fraufi666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Germany knows that his mind would never be free of the double that had entered his life and almost changed Prussia. Too worried to acknowledge these concerns with his brother, uncomfortable tension results, plunging Germany into solitude. But to his fear, he is not as alone as he once thought, for the double is still out there, planning to take revenge on him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unter deiner haut (A.K.A Spiel mit Mir part II)

In the gloom of the early dawn, a pile of dust danced in the breeze, a few meters above the trodden, dirt ground. The dust continued to stir, forming a shape which resembled something of a hand. The hand began to waver, as if summoning the rest of the debris to join. Very slowly, the dust flew gracefully onto the hand, weaving into an arm and after a few moments a well-built figure of a man stood. Stark naked, the man looked at his own hand, admiring it from different angles. The opening areas of his flesh were beginning to close up until they were nothing more than just slight wounds. 

His painful, time-consuming resurrection was complete. The man squinted at the sky with bright-red eyes and ducked into the bush quickly, cursing in pain from performing such a strenuous action. It was much too dangerous to be outside and he couldn’t allow himself to be seen by anyone…At least not yet. 

Ludwig awoke with a start, untangling himself from Gilbert’s embrace. His hands were still aching from where his nemesis had burnt them. If he could dare call him his nemesis. It was much more complicated than it seemed initially. The man was much closer than Ludwig had ever known, as if a complete double of himself…The only characteristics which distinguished the double from Ludwig was the other having red eyes and a noticeable scar on his cheek which still caused the German to shiver slightly as he remembered it. He could never forget what the man had done to his brother.

It was a cruel, sadistic game that had almost changed the Prussian for good. It worried Ludwig to think of how close he was to losing his brother forever. 

He entered the bathroom, throwing water over his face in attempts to wake himself up. He then placed his hands under the running water, trying to cool down the burns that were threatening to blemish his skin. Although he had told Gilbert that no harm was to come to them, he still recalled the menacing shouts of the red-eyed self. 

 

"I will get you! Don’t think that this is over!" 

Two hands lay on his shoulders, breaking Ludwig from his anxious thoughts. To his relief, it was just his brother. 

"Why are you out here by yourself, West?" Gilbert chuckled quietly. "Is my company boring you?" He leaned towards the younger man, kissing him slowly on the side of his neck. Ludwig closed his eyes, both in pleasure and in disagreement. 

"Nein…I’m just-" 

"You’re hurt!" Gilbert shouted in astonishment as he noticed the younger nation’s hands. He grabbed them roughly, inspecting them in shock. "Did he do this to you?"

"It’s nothing." Ludwig signed quietly. He blushed as Gilbert began to fuss over him. He despised this, yet his brother was always too stubborn to give up his caring actions, ever since they were growing up. 

"That idiot." Gilbert growled, as his scarlet eyes began to darken. "I told you not to worry about me, didn’t I? Now look at what he’s done." 

"It’s not like you’re listening to me either…" Ludwig began but Gilbert quickly placed his hand on his mouth to quiet him. Then, he leaned down to plant a kiss on each of his hands which seemed to do the trick. 

"Is that better?" Gilbert asked, grinning at the younger blonde’s annoyed expression. Ludwig remained silent, still frustrated for being dismissed so quickly. The albino raised his eyebrows and pulled the German’s hands towards him, proceeding to run his lips on each finger and then began to suck one in turn. Ludwig groaned, causing the Prussian to smile even wider. "Komm…” He beckoned seductively. “I’ll give you something to make you feel better.” 

Now completely helpless to the older nation’s offer, the German followed him back to the bedroom. 

In the half-light, Gilbert pushed the younger blonde onto the bed, planting a trail of furious kisses from his lips to his neck and chest.

Ludwig’s heart accelerated as he felt the silvery strands of the albino’s hair brush intimately against his body, accompanying the passionate contact of the other’s lips. He closed his eyes as Gilbert undressed him briskly. Once exposed, the older nation began to move downwards until his mouth was just inches away from his lower regions. Ludwig’s breath faltered as the albino began to stroke him teasingly and then placed his mouth around his cock, running his tongue in circular motions, leaving no area untouched. The German murmured quietly in pleasure, causing the Prussian to quicken his actions. 

"Ah…" Ludwig gasped. 

Gilbert smiled. He always enjoyed getting a reaction out of his younger brother. “Lauter…” He demanded “Say it like you mean it.” 

The German clenched his fists, his chest rising and falling rapidly as Gilbert continued. Between pants, it was difficult to muster a sound.

"Ja…Jaaaa…" He struggled to utter. 

The Prussian paused. “You’re going to have to do better than that.” He scolded mockingly, before proceeding to stroke him once again.

"Ja, Ja, Ja!" Ludwig shouted as he reached his climax. Sweat dripped from his forehead while he finally came. Gilbert grinned approvingly as he eagerly consumed every drop. The younger man then pulled Gilbert’s face towards his own, kissing him passionately. Completely warn out, the Prussian lay his head over Ludwig’s chest, falling asleep almost immediately. 

 

A few hours later, Ludwig was sitting at the breakfast table reading his newspaper when Gilbert walked in, hair ruffled and shirt creased from sleep. He stretched and took a seat opposite to the younger German. 

"I can’t believe that you’d be up already, West…" Gilbert yawned, rubbing his eyes. 

"It’s eleven in the morning, Gilbert." Ludwig said coldly. "I was supposed to be up ages ago." 

"You weren’t saying that earlier…” The Prussian teased, placing his hand on Ludwig’s slicked hair, in hopes to mess it up. 

"Don’t do that." Ludwig scolded. He turned his spectacled gaze towards the plate near Gilbert. "Eat your breakfast." 

The older nation rolled his eyes and grabbed the piece of toast half-heartedly. “I didn’t think you were going to work today.” he said quietly. “If I did, we could spend some more time together.”

Ludwig removed his spectacles and put down the newspaper. “We must maintain good habits.” He explained “I go to work next week and I don’t want to get lazy.” he paused to blush and cough “…We can do these sort of things another time.” 

Gilbert chuckled between mouthfuls. “Even on your time off you are as professional as ever, West. But you seem a little bit on edge compared to a few hours ago. You need to let loose.” 

On edge? 

Ludwig frowned at the thought and met his older brother’s red eyes, filled with concern. His chest tightened as he recalled the moment in the forest when he looked into the red eyes of a face which was not much different from his own. He stood abruptly and pushed his chair in, quickly making his way to the study. 

"West?!" Gilbert called after him, astonished that such a sentence had troubled the German greatly. Ludwig was often accustomed to Gilbert’s teasing, yet it seemed as if something else was occupying him. 

Unlike Ludwig, Gilbert had little recollection from the terrifying events which had occurred some weeks ago. It was as if he had been half-asleep during those days; He knew that another man had been a huge threat to him in the past, tormenting him and abusing him, yet all the actions that Gilbert had performed himself which endangered his brother’s life and his own were repressed. Maybe he had done something which worried Ludwig or something might have happened in the forest…The conflict between Ludwig and his double. 

Deciding that interrogating his brother about it was fruitless, Gilbert silently went outside to tend to the garden. 

 

In the early afternoon, the sky had cleared significantly. The Prussian stared out into the forest, his blood beginning to boil as he remembered seeing Ludwig’s burns. He was furious with himself for submitting to the double, for giving in to his advances and engaging in his game. It hurt him to see how sad Ludwig had looked, even though he had reassured Gilbert that nothing would ever come between them. 

"That dummkopf knows nothing…" Gilbert grumbled as he tugged at one of the weeds. "He acts so serious all the time, but really he is just hiding his fear. He should be more like his tough, awesome brother!" He yanked the weed out from the roots and sighed. The older man knew that something was clearly affecting Ludwig, yet the younger nation refused to comply.

Even together, Ludwig was not as affectionate as he once was, nor as forceful. The Prussian was worried for him. His personality had changed so suddenly from earlier on in the morning. He hoped desperately that the German would eventually tell him what was really going on. 

 

Meanwhile Ludwig was still in his study, finishing off the necessary paperwork. Work was always the best thing for him to take his mind off his own worries. He didn’t want to remember the red-eyed self or any of the disturbing episodes that Gilbert had performed. One part of him knew that the man was still out there, perhaps plotting revenge. He couldn’t let anything of the sort happen to his brother again. Ludwig turned on the computer and checked the surveillance system, keeping an eye on the yard and Gilbert, who was still kneeling by the garden bed. Even though it was a sunny day, Ludwig noticed the long shadows on the other side of the house and scrutinised them carefully, vigilant for any figure who might have been hiding there. Then, his heart leapt as he realised that Gilbert was no longer in the garden. 

No…He can’t take Gilbert again! Ludwig thought in panic as he quickly turned to the other screens to see where the albino may have gone to, but he was nowhere in sight. As the German was about to get up and leave the room to search, his older brother burst into the room. 

"Hey West!" Gilbert called, causing Ludwig to breathe in a sigh of relief.

The Prussian realised how sweaty and tense his brother looked and strode over, pulling up a seat beside him. “What’s going on?” 

The German quickly spotted the entries he had written about Gilbert’s condition and the psychology books but he was too late to put them away.

He couldn’t let him see them…It may be too much for him to bear. 

"Um…I’m just doing work." Ludwig said hesitantly, still in a cross voice for getting startled so quickly. 

"You seem distracted." Gilbert remarked. The younger German opened his mouth to protest, but the Prussian had cut him off. "Let me finish! What was going on this morning, when you had left the table?"

"Nothing!" Ludwig replied curtly. "I just wanted to do my work. What is so wrong about having an early start?" 

Gilbert ignored his brother’s question as soon as his eyes went to the books on his desk. “Hey…I didn’t know that you liked psychology. What’s written on the papers?” 

Ludwig grabbed the books and put them back on the shelf hastily. “I was just putting them away until you came in.” He said quickly. “And I like to read. So what?” 

The older nation leaned close to Ludwig, placing his hand on his cheek.

"Tell me what’s going on, bruder. I know that look. Those pretty blue eyes of yours seem lost, like that time when I told you that I was going to battle-"

"Get out!" Ludwig growled. "I’m tired of your silly stories." He was sweating extensively, his eyes widening in fear as he recalled similar words told to him in that fateful night. 

"You know, you look so much like me…Except for those pretty blue eyes." 

After Gilbert had left the room, shocked and offended at the outburst, the German found himself trembling as those words echoed in his mind. 

Control yourself. Ludwig told himself, trying to gain his composure. It’s over. You killed him, remember? 

 

But from somewhere in the shadows, a few kilometres away from the house, the red-eyed Ludwig stood behind the tree, a menacing smile curling on his lips as he thought of a way to confront the man who had tried to destroy him once before. 

 

The following day, Gilbert found Ludwig sitting at his desk, his hands on his face. He looked defeated and worn out, several papers spread in front of him in a frantic mess. It hurt Prussian so much to see his little brother this way, so he walked quietly and sat on his desk, not even moving away the sheets. He placed a reassuring hand on the blonde’s shoulder, who tensed at the contact. He jolted away. 

 

"West. I don’t know what is bothering you. But it would make things easier if you told me."

"Once again…I’m fine." The younger man muttered. He didn’t even look up to meet Gilbert’s concerning gaze, which was even more worrisome. 

 

"No you are not!" yelled Gilbert. "Stop lying to me, Ludwig. Tell me what is troubling you! And look at me, Gott verdammt…LOOK AT ME."

In reluctance, Ludwig finally turned his blue gaze at the albino which was colder than usual. But there were dark circles under his eyes. His fair face was as white as a sheet and he looked stressed and plagued with worry. Gilbert noticed a pungent scent of alcohol that added to his vulnerability. Tears in his eyes, the Prussian put his hand on the German’s and tried not to cry. 

"I…I saw the entries you wrote, Ludwig." He admitted in a wavering voice. "Is it true? Did I really do these things? Why did you keep them from me?

I had a right to know, you know.”

Anger rose in the blonde as he heard this. He stood up and pulled his hand away from his brother. “I can’t believe it. You went through my desk?! What were you thinking, Gilbert? Du bist Verrückt!” 

"Nein." The albino said in an angry sob. "It is YOU who is crazy. You think that invading my diary and noting down my actions is okay? It hurt me, Ludwig. It hurt me. I am disturbed by what I had put you through. I am the victim in this situation. I just don’t understand why you are acting so distant.” 

"Well if I am so crazy." Ludwig began, fury pulsing through his veins "Then maybe you shouldn’t speak to me at all. Leave me alone. I don’t want to think about all this. GO!" 

In mad defiance, Gilbert shoved down the papers from desk and stormed out of the room, sending the sheets flying in a confetti of chaos. After he slammed the door, the German could hear sobbing and footsteps scurrying away. He looked at the papers on the floor in dread. Now he had to reorganise them all over again. Not even bothering to go after the Prussian, he got on his knees and began to sort them out into their according places. 

 

The next week, Ludwig headed off to his office in Berlin. Gilbert was visiting Roderich’s place in Vienna so he was reassured that his brother would be taken care of whilst he was gone. The Prussian had grown weary of the German’s tense behaviour and finally decided to give him time alone. Nothing but awkward silences passed between the two and after several more attempts of asking Ludwig what was wrong, Gilbert decided to stay at Roderich’s place until things had settled down. The albino stood at the front door, luggage in one hand and gave a light-hearted wave, yet the younger brother merely gave a silent nod, causing Gilbert to sadly leave the house without another word. It was much too difficult to get any answers out of Ludwig.

Gilbert left for Vienna, his heart heavy with worry for the fear of possibly losing his brother. 

 

The German walked up the steel, clinical steps to the office, his mind focused on getting to the conference early. It was a silent morning when Ludwig had entered the conference room and in the back of his mind he silently wished to have the Prussian by his side, just to hear some cheery chatter. The silence unnerved him more than it should. He didn’t like pushing his brother away, but he needed some space. Constant questioning about such a traumatic event really got on his nerves. He didn’t want to think about it now…Not ever. Some things were just better left silent. 

After what had felt like a tiring morning, debating matters in the conference room, Ludwig went for a coffee. His presence was more invisible as he passively sat, quietly taking notes and avoiding discussion. But to his relief, nobody seemed to pay him any mind and left him alone. 

Taking the cup from the coffee machine, the German paced in the corridor, staring through the window to the urban setting ahead of him. Even though he was far away from home and the forest, the industrial buildings did not free his mind. Not too far away woman briefly strode past the office, clad in a vibrant red dress which billowed in the wind. Ludwig gasped as the scarlet flashed images in his mind; numerous scars on hands that caressed him, the red eyes that peered at him in malice recognition and then the bright, red flames that burnt fiercely as a voice vowed for revenge. His grip loosened and the cup in his hand had fallen to the floor, sending black coffee to spill over the pristine, white linoleum. 

"Is everything alright sir?" A voice behind Ludwig asked. Flustered as his attention was brought to the mess he has caused, the blonde quickly tried to wipe up the spill with a tissue. The last thing he needed was to be seen in such an anxious state, especially by a co-worker.

The male co-worker bent over to assist him. He met Ludwig’s gaze in curiosity and pulled him aside to speak to him privately. 

"I know that your brother was unwell for a while and you had to take time off work. If you are still worried about him, you should probably continue to work from home." 

The German sighed, dreading the fact that he had to share his feelings with someone. “He’s okay.” He responded shortly. 

"Then what is the matter? You seemed so silent this morning. You are not yourself today."

"Gilbert is in Vienna right now." Ludwig answered, trying to avoid speaking about himself as much as possible. "I’m just…Tired." 

The other man nodded as if he understood and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Alright Herr Beilschmidt. Try not to overload yourself with work. I’ll see you later.” 

"Tschüss, Hans." He answered, turning his attention back to window.

However, the woman was long gone. Hans was still oblivious about the matter, yet Ludwig was thankful for it. He did not want anyone to know about the complicated relationship between him and his brother, let alone the whole matter with the red-eyed double. Everyone would take him as mad.

Personal matters needed to be separated from the office, for the sake of his reputation and Gilbert’s. 

Against Hans’ advice, Ludwig stayed at the office during late hours, still dreading to return home. The work soothed his nerves and he was able to concentrate with ease. As the metallic hand of the clock continued to travel, the German kept his mind and attention on the work in front of him, his spectacles madly reflecting the spreadsheets on the screen.

Illuminated by the computer screen, his hands dashed up and down the keys frantically. 

Clomp, clomp

The sound of footsteps echoing through the corridor caused Ludwig to perspire slightly, but he kept his eyes glued to the monitor. 

No need to get jumpy… He reassured himself. It’s just the janitor. 

He followed that relatively logical thought, not ceasing to interrupt his work. But it was the cold draught that caused him to jolt suddenly. 

The person in the corridor, whoever it was, had walked inside. 

 

Ludwig forced himself not to turn around. He couldn’t give away his anxiety, no matter who was now standing right behind him. Two fingers landed on his shoulder and the blonde closed his eyes. 

"Ah Hans…" He breathed with a sigh of relief. "I was just finishing up." 

An arm wrapped around his neck…An arm marked by scars. From such a brief moment of calmness, Ludwig had spoken too soon.

 

He was pulled to the floor, knocking the chair down in the process. A figure wearing a cap knelt over the stunned German. In his gloved hand, the horrific presence of a knife…The knife which had tortured Gilbert, threatened the German and was now pressed against Ludwig’s neck. 

"Guten Abend…" The figure greeted, his red eyes glowing in the dark.

"You don’t know how much I have missed you." 

Ludwig’s eyes widened as he was once again face-to-face with his double.

"You…" He gasped, trying to sound more furious rather than anxious."What are you doing here?"

"Well, it’s lovely to see you again too." Red-eyed Ludwig said calmly, ignoring the German. "I told you that I would be back, didn’t I?" 

The victimised man lay silent. He did know this. But he didn’t expect it to happen so soon. 

"DIDN’T I?!" The other man shouted and pressed the knife to his neck even harder. Two crimson drops emerged from the pressure. 

Ludwig shut his eyes in pain and tried his best not to cry out. He knew that the double enjoyed seeing others suffer. 

"Once again, you amaze me, Ludwig." The man remarked. "You are still so calm. It’s really fascinating." He leaned closer to him until all Ludwig could see was his red gaze. "I still think that you and I could be worth something together…Maybe if I didn’t hate you so much. But I…" 

His voice trailed off as he ran his leathered finger against the German’s face. “I…I still want you.” He whispered huskily. “And from that moment in the forest, I know that you still want me too.”

"You’re wrong!" Ludwig retorted. "I will never, ever fall for you. You are mad. All the things you did to my brother are unforgivable. Because of you, things are not the same between us." He tried to push the other German off him, but the double was too strong. He continued to hold him down effortlessly. 

"Not the same?" A blonde eyebrow rose as he looked back at the young German in wonder. "Curious…But in a way it does make sense." He tried to stifle a laugh, as if he was being told a joke. "I’ve got it!" He cried in realisation. "You two are not communicating properly because there is nothing there. Gilbert doesn’t care for you….And you don’t care for him either! Why, the answer is so blindingly obvious that even you don’t need to wear glasses for it!” With that, he proceeded to remove Ludwig’s spectacles. “Better.” He muttered in approval. “Now I can look at your azure eyes with more ease….You are so naive in thinking that your dear brother cares for you. It’s obscene really! You’re not even meant to have such a relationship!”

”Hypocrite….” Ludwig murmured under his breath as he remembered the double’s sick fixation on the Prussian not so long ago. 

"I have a deal for you…" Red-eyed Ludwig sneered, ignoring the other’s insult. "You can continue to push me away and I’ll ensure that your relationship goes out in the open. Your reputation would be in tatters! What would your boss say if he found out that his best employee in Berlin was attracted to his own brother?” He began to laugh, causing the German to panic at the thought. Sweat dripped from his forehead and his eyes widened in fear. 

"Don’t…No.."He stammered. "Please…You mustn’t!" He tried to struggle against the other German but it was no use. It seemed as if he had gained more strength from the last encounter. "…I will KILL you!" He yelled. 

The other Ludwig’s red eyes shone with glee. “I thought so.” He whispered.

"Which leads me to my next option; you go with me…And we can play a game, just like we should have." 

"Komm…" He beckoned, taking the blonde by the hand and pulling him from the floor. "Spiel ein spiel mit Mir.” 

"I refuse!" Ludwig barked, pulling his hand out of the other’s grasp and pushed him against the wall with force. "You have no right! You are not a part of my life! You hear me? I want you to leave!" 

Before the German could do anything, the double threw his head down towards one of the sleeved arms that trapped him and bit into the flesh, causing Ludwig to cry out loud. 

"It’s not that simple." the other Ludwig explained as blood dripped from his lips. "You and I both know that." He proceeded to run his tongue against the wound of Ludwig’s trembling arm. 

"I love you, Ludwig." He whispered. "And I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are mine.” With one last caress, the double slipped away into the shadows, the sounds of footsteps growing fainter and fainter. 

In the pitch blackness of three ‘o clock, the German sat down in his chair, shaking in agony. Even though he was far from home, there was no escape from the wicked, red-eyed twin. 

 

He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew was being tapped lightly on the shoulder. Ludwig jolted and then relaxed as he saw Hans staring back at him in surprise in the blinding morning brightness.

He was still at his desk.

"Herr Beilschmidt! You look exhausted. Were you here all night?!” The co-worker asked in astonishment.

"Ja…Tut mir leid. I must have lost track of time." He tried to sit up and groaned in pain as he realised how much his arm had hurt. In the light, he could clearly see the tooth marks etched into his flesh. Dried blood stained his sleeve. 

"Schieße!" Hans exclaimed as he also noticed the wound. "What happened?!" 

"There was…" Ludwig began and hesitated. Nobody would believe in the story of the double "…I got a paper cut." He finished. 

"Was?!" Hans shouted, immediately sensing the lie in his words. "That’s no paper cut! Mein Gott…It looks like a shark bite!" 

The German stood up suddenly, grabbing the man by the shoulders. “Keep your voice down!” He commanded hastily “I don’t want anyone finding out about this, okay?” With that, he tried to cover the wound with his bloodied sleeve. 

"Did someone do this to you?" Hans asked in concern. "Talk to me, Ludwig."

"You sound just like Gilbert." Ludwig groaned in annoyance. "I don’t want your concern or your sympathy. Please, leave me alone." 

Hans sighed and finally gave in. As concerned as he was about Ludwig’s wound, he didn’t want to argue. “Can you see someone about the cut then? Go and get it cleaned. You could risk getting an infection.”

"I’ll get disinfectant soon." The blonde answered. "Just don’t tell anyone about this, understood?" 

"At least ring your brother. Let him know what is going on." 

"He’ll just worry himself sick and travel back to Berlin. It’s not worth the trip." 

The co-worker nodded hesitantly and tried to peer into the German’s eyes. Yet Ludwig turned away in embarrassment. 

"I understand." He said quietly, even though he was still very much baffled as to why the German was so against getting any help. He walked to the door and gave another nod. "See you later, Herr Beilschmidt. Take care of yourself and go home early! That’s an order." 

 

To avoid a repeat of last night’s events, Ludwig managed to complete his work and was able to have an early finish. He drove home, his mind still plagued with worry. Whenever he drove through a dark corner, he kept an eye out for any stray figure and avoided attracting too much attention from pedestrians. Finally, when he arrived home, the German had a long drink of beer and settled down with a book. To his relief, for the rest of the day he was undisrupted. But in the back of his mind, Ludwig shook in worry, hoping desperately that his co-worker had not told his boss about his wound. He didn’t want more people to fuss over his personal affairs.

And he tried to think of a way to defeat his nemesis once and for all. 

 

But as days passed by peacefully, his frantic subconscious still took place in the dark forest, the same shadowy hand coaxing him into a game of hide and seek. 

”Eins…Zwei…Drei!” A voice cackled from the distance. From behind some thin branches, a figure fled to search for Ludwig. But he refused to participate. He wanted to capture him first. 

The German proceeded to chase after the figure, racing through the shadows. He jumped over the many twisting tree roots, only to then be seized from behind and pulled to the ground. The red-eyed Ludwig raised a knife to his flesh, causing him to wake up in a sweat, panting uncontrollably. He stood in the corner of his room, straining to catch some sight of the double, yet the room was empty. 

 

Little did he know the red-eyed Ludwig was pursuing someone else; someone who was not intended to be involved in the situation. A figure climbed with such graceful agility up the side of a block of flats and then slipped into the open window of one of the employees who worked at Ludwig’s office. 

"Your friend Ludwig…." A voice whispered menacingly into Hans’ sleeping ear "Is in love with his brother. This is important information which will destroy your business. He is unstable for work." 

He is unstable for work

He is unstable for work

The last few words echoed in the flat of the sleeping man, finally making their way into his memory. Words that threatened to crumble the German’s reputation. It was bound to create a rude awakening for both employees. 

 

After a usual laborious morning at the conference room, Ludwig went for a cup of coffee but was stopped in his tracks. It was Hans, his eyes downcast as if he was too ashamed to even look at the blonde. The new information had taken him by surprise. Although he was rather hesitant to bring it up, he was still curious.

"Is it true?" Hans asked directly. Ludwig’s eyes widened as he received some anxious inkling on what the co-worker was talking about. "You…And Gilbert?” 

The German put a finger to his mouth and quickly gestured him into the office, closing the door so that nobody would overhear. 

"Where did you hear this?!" Ludwig demanded. "Tell me!"

The other man shuffled his feet nervously, his head still down. “It’s probably nothing. Someone just told me…But I was probably dreaming.” He glanced up at Ludwig whose face bore an expression of both anger and shock. “It isn’t true, right?”

"Ja…Of course it’s not true." The blonde answered quickly, trying to dismiss the issue as much as possible. He took a sip of coffee, his other fist clenched. It was all his double’s doing. He knew it. 

"Well, maybe I have been hearing things." Hans laughed nervously, denying the issue straightaway at the sight of his co-worker’s disgust "I think we have both been working too hard, right?" 

"Das ist stimmt." Ludwig muttered. "Sometimes our minds can play tricks on us if we’re too stressed." He explained. But he froze as he noticed the familiar shade of scarlet that was on his co-worker’s tie. "I…I have to go." He murmured breathlessly, suddenly turning away. He opened the door of the office and the two re-entered the corridor as if such a conversation had never occurred. A confused Hans stood behind in the corridor but made no effort to chase after him. Even if something odd was going on, he didn’t feel that it was right if he intervened. It wasn’t sufficient to tell his boss information which had just been presented from an unknown source, especially if there was a possibility that it was imagined. Perhaps it was just stress after all. 

The German went home, carefully checking every dark corner as usual.

However, the house was still as empty and as quiet as it was a few days ago. 

Am I going mad? Ludwig wondered as he had checked behind the third door.

He examined every room and then gave in. If Hans had not known about Gilbert and him, the double’s presence could all just be a figment of his imagination. Thankfully the co-worker was still clueless, which did provide some relief. He closed his eyes and let himself sink into the coach for a few minutes. 

 

Rather than dreaming of the forest, he experienced a series of pleasurable gestures. Two rough arms wrapped around his torso, a nose resting in his hair. Lips trailed down his face, finally meeting his own. But they didn’t stay there for long. Instead, they began to brush against his neck, almost as if a tease. Ludwig longed for their touch, his body suddenly craving for more. It had been far too long since he had ever been touched with such intimacy. He wanted them to stay, reaching out in his sleep to grab whoever was causing him to melt this way, but when he opened his eyes the room was still empty. 

Disappointed, the German went to bed. It was far too lonely without Gilbert, yet things would be too complicated if he had rung for him to come back. He wanted things to be easier, back before the double had entered into their lives. Yet in all his dismay, he knew that life would never be the same again. He rolled over in the dark, his mind still filled with worry. Ludwig stared into the darkness, straining to see whoever had brought him those brief moments of pleasure. It was familiar, yet distant at the same time, almost as if it was somebody who he didn’t know well, yet someone who was closer than he ever thought….As if they were under his skin. 

The next thing Ludwig knew was waking up to see a glimpse of a dark figure darting past the front yard. Suddenly alert, he leapt off the bed, running downstairs and then out of the house. It all made sense now. The double was offering one last chance for him to save his reputation. He couldn’t lose him now. 

He raced through the yard, desperately keeping his eyes out around him if there was anyone behind him. Before he knew it, he was back in the heart of the dark forest, peering around the gloom as the gnarled branches welcomed him once again. 

 

"I’ll do it!" Ludwig cried. "I’ll play with you. When can we start?"

In the distance, behind the many black branches, a voice sneered back in reply. 

"The game’s already started. Eins…Zwei…Drei"

He raced in the opposite direction, dodging the hanging branches which clawed at his shirt. Instead of running in a straight line, he took many sharp turns, following instinct and spontaneity rather than where he thought the voice was coming from. As the laughs grew louder and clearer, Ludwig ducked underneath a tangle of branches until he had undoubtedly reached a dead end. 

"Gott Verdammt!" He muttered, realising that there was no way out. From high above, a caped figure swooped down, landing directly on top of the German. 

"You thought you could outsmart me…” The red-eyed Ludwig chuckled “Oh how wrong you were.” He took out a knife from his pocket, proceeding to lean the blade against his chest. But the other jumped up quickly, pushing the double against the tree. 

"And you thought that you could outsmart me...” Ludwig mocked, now holding the blade against his neck. 

"Do it…" The double dared. "I’ve had so many scars. One more won’t make a difference." He leaned forward so that their noses were almost touching and gazed into Ludwig’s eyes deeply. "But you wouldn’t do it…I can see it in your eyes. You are too weak." 

Ludwig pushed the blade closer, his arm shaking. “You already tried to hurt my brother…Now leave my co-worker out of this! He has nothing to do with you!”

Red-eyed Ludwig placed a gloved hand on his arm. “Well you are lucky. He likes you too much to put your name to shame. So maybe I will leave Hans alone since you decided to play a game with me after all….I just want one thing..”

"What is it?!" Ludwig demanded. He was getting impatient of the double’s unnecessary pauses. It only made him more anxious. 

 

"Once again….Isn’t it so obvious." The double removed his gloves to place a hand on each side of the German’s face and pulled him closer. "I want you.” 

Without another word, they kissed. Beads of sweat formed instantaneously as the rough, scarred arms embraced Ludwig’s torso once more. He tried to pull away, but their lips were locked, the touch too irresistible to escape from. He groaned as their identical tongues joined, twisting lavishly. They tore at each other’s garments furiously, crying out as their nails dug deep into each other’s flesh. As they tackled one another, the dominating one would gnaw on the neck of the other. Even fully exposed to the elements, the two blondes lay together, skin on skin. Ludwig reached out to run a hand over the scar on the other’s cheek, causing him to tremble in both pain and excitement. His eyes shone brightly as he gripped Ludwig’s thighs and forced them apart, turning them towards his hardened, awaiting body in an attempt to make his entrance.

At the contact of his hand against his face, the double halted and sat up, grabbing the hand tightly. He pried Ludwig’s fingers apart to view the fading burn on his fair skin. 

"…I did this to you…Didn’t I?" 

 

To Ludwig’s surprise, the double sounded regretful. He leaned over to kiss his hand lovingly, yet gasped in disgust and pulled away. 

"Ugh…" He groaned, almost about to retch. "I could still smell the scent of that freaking Prussian." Red-eyed Ludwig knelt over the ground weakly, his uncharacteristic vulnerability adding to the German’s shock. Eyes darkening, the double grabbed Ludwig by the shoulders, shoving him against the hanging branches. He winced as what had felt like tiny daggers grazed against his bare skin. 

"I wanted you to be mine and mine only!" He spat. With a wave of his hand, the branches began to grip Ludwig’s arms and legs, pulling him up a few meters above the ground. 

The German struggled, yet the branches held him tight. Panicking, he kicked against the wood, trying with all his might to escape. 

The double bent over to pick up the knife which glinted maliciously in the darkness. 

"Even though he had left you days ago, you still smell of him. It’s revolting. While you spend time with me, you must only possess my scent.

You are no longer owned by him anymore. Understand?” 

"Nein!" Shouted Ludwig in disagreement "As much as you don’t like it, he is still my brother. There is no way that you can deny our connection."

Red-eyed Ludwig smiled cynically and walked closer, waving the blade in the air beside him. He paused to slick back some loose strands of hair that was falling over his eyes. “No…Our connection is stronger. Don’t you see it? You have me and I have you…We are basically the same person, after all.” The double grabbed one of Ludwig’s ankles, running one of his scarred hands over the sole of his foot. Ludwig’s foot shook slightly at the ticklish sensation, but he tried to remain calm. “There can be no connection closer than our own, Ludwig.” He continued, clearly enjoying the young man’s reaction. “I am closer than a relation…Ich bin unter deiner haut.”

At those chilling words of the double, Ludwig’s heart almost stopped. He knew, in all his apprehension that the man had spoken the truth. As the branches clung to him tighter, he raked his brain for a response, a way to crumble the other. 

"Then why do you continue to abuse me when all you want is me?" He asked "Why don’t you just release me and then we can be together?" 

Upon hearing Ludwig’s question, other laughed heinously. “You think it’s that simple? I want to see you SUFFER. Schmerz…Schmerz ist so wünderschön. It is a portrait that man or nature can paint accurately on any being whilst in such a state of vulnerability.” He raised one finger, summoning the branches to tighten, causing the sharper ends to dig into his flesh. “When you wear that pained expression…It just makes you all the more beautiful to me.” Red-eyed Ludwig licked his lips as lustful elation filled him at that thought. “And….” He continued “You’ll be able to understand exactly what I have to go through to get all these scars. You deserve to suffer, just as I had to.” 

Ludwig remained silent, stunned at the infatuation for the schadenfreude that was presented so freely. The other took a seat on one of the large tree stumps, a jaw propped on one of his knuckles. They stayed this way for a few more minutes until the double gave a long sigh, gradually getting more impatient as the German made no response. Ludwig knew that by being passive, the excitement would drain from the double that seemed to thrive on heightened emotion. With a single wave, the branches released him, causing him to fall and land on the ground before the other. Bruised, yet mostly unharmed from the fall, Ludwig forced himself up until he was towering over the sitting double. 

"Well?" He asked, gesturing at his bare torso, as an idea suddenly came to mind. "I’m yours…Just like you are mine." Ludwig directed his blue gaze at the other, who appeared puzzled and bemused by the persistent calmness.

"Come on then. Take me…” 

The red eyes widened as the other gasped at the opportunity that stood before him. “My my, Ludwig. You are handing yourself over to me. It looks like I’ve prevailed after all.” A smile began to curl on his lips as he reached out to touch the young blonde. 

"Only thing is…" He whispered huskily into the ear of the double "You will have not only my scent, but Gilbert’s also. You are not the only one to touch me, remember?" 

The double’s hand quivered, inches away from Ludwig’s flesh. He longed to possess him, yet he felt displeasure at the thought. “I…I’m not sure.” He murmured as his face paled and he shuffled away. 

"But you did touch him yourself once before. So what is the difference?"

Ludwig challenged “Go on. I’m giving you the chance.” He gripped the double’s wrist and pulled the scarred hand to his own chest, running it slowly. “Not liking this, aren’t you? Doing things against your free will….It seems like we are not so different after all.” 

"This is madness." The other choked. He desperately reached for the knife in his pocket, but Ludwig placed a hand over his scarred cheek, studying the confused and fearful expression of the other. He tried to pull away, but the touch made it impossible. His lips ran over the scar in a sweet, torturous caress. The double helplessly gazed into the blue eyes, all intentions gone. As the strength grew in the German, the other weakened.

He was no longer in power. Red-eyed Ludwig slumped over the ground, shaking in pleasure and fear. 

Ludwig picked up the blade, holding it near the other and smiling at his new found position. As he distracted the other with affectionate gestures, he managed to draw the knife from the double’s unguarded pocket. ”I could hurt you…” He said “But that would just be too easy.” With all his might, he threw the knife toward the trees behind him, which in turn swallowed it up in whole. They danced manically, as if completely possessed by a spell and disintegrated into dust. 

He turned back to the place where the other Ludwig lay weakly. Thin, red flames fell from his eye like tears as he clung to Ludwig’s ankle in defeat. 

"You may have won…." He whispered hoarsely as the flames continued to fall "But really, you and I are not that different at all. Ich bin unter deiner haut…Für immer.”

 

At the final words, the double was engulfed by the flames and was reduced into dust. Now alone and slightly relieved, Ludwig made his way back to the house. He felt stronger and more at ease with himself than he had ever felt before. It was an odd feeling, yet as he cleaned and nursed the new wounds that were beginning to develop on his skin, he was no longer afraid.

 

He went to sleep with ease and then awoke to a series of loud knocks on the door. A cheery, familiar call followed. 

"West! West, I’m home." Gilbert called. After spending some time at the Austrian’s place, he had grown tired and bored. Teasing Roderich was no longer entertaining for him. He felt empty, lonely and longing for his brother’s company. Gilbert was still upset with Ludwig’s change in behaviour and for shutting him out, but he wanted to forgive him. He missed him so dearly and knew that that he was missing him too. 

Perhaps, after receiving the peace and quiet that he wanted, maybe Ludwig would become less resentful. At least, so he hoped. 

Without hesitation, the German sprung from his bed, not even bothering to change or slick back his hair. Bustling with unusual excitement, he raced to open the door. The Prussian stood there, holding his luggage and looked up at Ludwig, his scarlet eyes full of sympathy. “I shouldn’t have pushed you, Ludwig.” He sighed in apology “I know that you are affected as much by this whole mess as I was. But I think that we can get past this, don’t you?”

In reply, Ludwig threw his arms around the albino’s neck, embracing him with all the passion that he longed to express those many lonely days ago.

Initially surprised by his younger brother’s reaction, Gilbert smiled at the warm gesture and leaned forward to kiss the German with as much tenderness. Their hearts simultaneously fluttered as their lips met once more. Ludwig drew his hand into the Prussian’s hair, grateful that the one that he had longed for had finally returned. He never wanted his brother to leave his side ever again; for he knew that they were no longer going to be tormented by the double. All the tension and disagreements between the two was only a thing in the past. He felt so foolish for pushing him away in the first place. 

Ich bin unter deiner haut…Für immer

In a brief, split second, Ludwig recalled the last words of his nemesis before he had faced his fate. However, in the arms of his brother the memory did not seem to make as much of an impact as it would have before.

Through slitted eye lids, his irises flashed a familiar scarlet before turning back to blue as he continued to caress Gilbert. Pulling the Prussian closer, an obscure smile began to form on his lips. 

 

Although defeated and gone, the double had still managed to find his way underneath Ludwig’s skin…

**Author's Note:**

> Translation key:
> 
> Nein: No
> 
> Komm: Come
> 
> Lauter: Louder
> 
> Ja: Yes
> 
> Dummkopf: A derogatory term usually meaning a silly person
> 
> Gott verdammt: An equivalent of “God damn it”
> 
> Du bist: You are
> 
> Verrückt: Crazy
> 
> Tschüss: Goodbye
> 
> Spiel ein spiel mit Mir: Play a game with me
> 
> Guten Abend: Good evening
> 
> Tut mir leid: I’m sorry (More colloquial)
> 
> Schieße: Well I’m sure you can guess what that word stands for (hint-It’s an expletive) xD 
> 
> Was?: What?
> 
> Mein Gott: My God
> 
> Eins…Zwei…Drei: One…Two…Three
> 
> Das ist stimmt: That is right
> 
> Ich bin unter deiner haut: I am under your skin. Prior to writing this fan fiction, I actually got inspired by an Oomph! song, which has the same title. The phrase “Spiel mit mir” is also inspired by a Rammstein song of the same title. 
> 
> Schmerz: Pain
> 
> Wünderschön: (Very) beautiful
> 
> Schadenfreude: A German term which is related to deriving joy or pleasure from the misery of others. In other words, sadism. 
> 
> Für immer: Forever
> 
> *Note: I have given 2p! Germany red eyes in both stories, although in most fan art he is depicted with purple eyes. I have done this modification to suit violent and rather demonic nature of my interpretation of this character


End file.
